Rating: na Presenter: Dhruv Film Production House Producers: Abhiraj Films, Screenplay – Director: Amol Shetge Story: Suresh Jayram Camera: Sudesh Deshmane Music: Nitin Hivarkar Cast: Makarand Anspure, Sayaji Shinde, Ajinkya Deo, Saie Tamhankar, Kanchan Adhikari Movie Review by: Ulhas Shirke

Film maker Kanchan Adhikari’s new Marathi film ‘Don Ghadicha Daav’ has been released at a time when Single screen theatres are on strike besides the World Cup cricket fever going on. This suspense filled film is certainly something new to Marathi cinema and had raised lot of hopes, but unfortunately, it has been inspired by Agatha Christie’s play and 1973 Bollywood film ‘Dhund’.

‘Don Ghadicha Daav’ is the story of a young woman – Vaidehi Sarpotdar (Sai Tamhankar), whose invalid husband – Arjun Sarpotdar (Sayaji Shinde) is murdered. A stranger, whose car breaks down near Sarpotdar’s bungalow walks in and identifies himself as Saumitra (Makarand Anaspure). He comes to the rescue of Vaidehi, who is confused in such a situation and then he draws a plan , taking advantage of the night hour with lightening and heavy rains outside.

The finger of suspicion obviously points at the young widow- Vaidehi, Arjun’s step mother (Kanchan Adhikari), Arjun’s mentally challenged step brother Babul for property reasons and a person called J. P. whose son has been crushed to death under Arjun’s car. There is also one more suspect in the form of family friend Dr. Umesh Sontakke (Ajinkya Dev) , who befriends Vaidehi. Everyone has a different version on how the actual murder took place and that makes Police to go into details of investigation. Finally, the real murderer comes forward with his revelations and surrenders before the police, when they are about to arrest someone else.

Though originally based on Agatha Christie’s play ‘The Unexpected Guest’, the film is almost a remake of B.R. Chopra’s suspense filled film ‘Dhund’ starring Sanjay Khan, Zeenat Aman, Danny Denzongpa, Deven Verma, Madan Puri & Navin Nischol; which was also based on this English play. In short , one can say that ‘Don Ghadicha Daav’ is a scene to scene copy of ‘Dhund’, barring few changes here and there to suit the requirements of some of the characters. How could someone else claim it as his own story? Above all, Director Amol Shetge who is also a screenplay writer besides director, has successfully presented the screenplay on the lines of ‘Dhund’.

Makarand Anaspure, who plays the character of a stranger-Saumitra has a different type of role to play in this film and he does justice to his character that was played by late Navin Nischol in the original version. Sai Tamhankar plays the character of helpless Vaidehi with few sparks. Her role cannot be compared with Zeenat Aman’s Rani, as Vaidehi has displayed the real pains of a girl in misery in her own way. Ajinkya Dev plays the role of Umesh Sontakke in his own style but on few occasions he forgets that he is a doctor. Take for example that scene with cigarette smoking in style. Perhaps, he was confused whether he was a doctor or an advocate, as in the original version his character is an advocate played by Sanjay Khan and that is the only change noticed. In the role of a Step mother, Kanchan Adhikari, who has made a comeback into acting after a gap of 23 years, certainly needed some more scenes and she has done justice to her role. Rest of the characters such as the lunatic step brother Babul and the servant Narsu are the same, as we witnessed in Dhund, except for the female maid.

To speak about the presentation part of the film, it has been presented well using latest technology of editing and sound effects to create that required ambience wherever called for. The locations are perfect but the background music turns loud on few occasions, as if it was a horror film. There is only one song in the film and that too an item number picturised on Dipshika and Sayaji Shinde, hence whatever scope the music director had was through background music only.

The film may invite the attention of collegians and fans of Agatha Christie stories, but it would certainly disappoint the real Marathi film lovers who are looking for original and sensational subjects. At a time when Marathi films are acclaimed at the national and international level, there were big expectations from this dynamic lady film maker, who gave us a sensible film like ‘Manini’; but, this time she preferred to go the Bollywood way.